LETTUCE. ' 203 



The Tennis-ball Lettuce is remarkable for its extreme 

 hardiness. Winter-grown plants, or those raised in cool, 

 moist weather, will measure ten inches in diameter, and 

 weigh eight ounces ; while those raised under opposite con- 

 ditions rarely exceed seven or eight inches in diameter, or 

 weigh more than four or five ounces. 



It is slow in running to seed, and the head blanches white 

 and tender. " It requires little room in frames in winter, 

 and yields a great return in spring, as almost the whole 

 plant is eatable." A large Cabbage Lettuce, tinted with 

 brown about the head, is erroneously known in some lo- 

 calities as the " Tennis-ball." 



Similar to the Imperial Head ; the principal Turkey 

 if not only difference consisting in the color of 

 the seeds, which are black. 



Head pale yellowish-green, large, long, and Versailles 



Vil. 

 SUGAR LETTUCE. 



compactly formed. When in its greatest per- 



fection, the extreme diameter of the whole 



plant is fourteen inches, and its weight twelve or fourteen 



ounces. The seeds are white. 



This variety forms its head quickly and uniformly ; cab- 

 bages white and crisp ; is slow in shooting up to seed ; 

 flourishes in almost every description of soil, and at all 

 seasons, except perhaps in extreme cold ; and, though some- 

 times slightly bitter, is tender, and of good quality. 



With the exception of its paler color, jt resembles the 

 Neapolitan. It is one of the best of all varieties for sum- 

 mer cultivation. 



An excellent early and hardy variety. The Victoria or 

 head is of medium size, tinted or washed with dered. Vil. 

 red at the top, round and compact ; the leaves 

 are large, yellowish-green, wrinkled, and blistered. If 

 grown in summer, the plants measure eight or nine inches 



